Arch-supporting member



March 30,1926. l 1,578,715

W. H. COOKE ARCH 'SUPPORTING MEMBER Filed Jan. 31 1920 l liv/vena? Willi/ iii/H Cooke.

Patented Mar. 30, 192.6.

UNITED STATES 'WILLIAM E. COOKE, QF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ARCH-SUPPORTING MEMBER.

Application led January 31, 1920. Serial No. 355,352.

To all whom z't may concer/n: n

y Be i 'known that I, Dr. WILMAM I-I.

COOKE, a citizen of the United States, and .resident of Dorchester, Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Arch-Supporting Members, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. This invention has reference to boots and shoes and particularly to ythe construction of the sole thereof, and its object is to pr'ovide a sole that will, by furnishing suitable support. for the foot, prevent the breaking down of the metatarsal arch and consequent loss of leverage or pull exerted by means of the toes when the arch and toes are in normal positions.

2Q In the drawings of one embodiment of my invention which is here illustrated for a etter understanding of the same,

Fig. 1 is `a plan of my porter; Z5 Fig. 2, a planl of a sole embodying my supporter;

Fig. 3, a cross-section thereof on the line 3-3 Fig. 2, showing also in cross-section a conventional representation of the bones of i0 the foot forming the metatarsal arch in natural position; and A Fig. 4, a similar view showing the arch broken down and the bones forming, the same in the abnormal position frequently found-.to exist. Y

v It is well known that the principal bones of the foot forward of the instep arch, are those forming the metatarsal or anterior arch. Referring -to Fig. 3, the bones 1, connovel arch sup- 40 stituting the arch of the footc are shown in their natural and upwardly arched positions and, when so positioned, perform primarily the function of supporting the foot structure.

The bones constituting the toes or phalanges' Aextendforwardl'y from the metatarsal arch and, when the arch and toes are in proper position, permit the person to exert a pull or leverage by means ofthe tendons and muscles which enables him to walk readily and without undue fatigue.

When, however, from accident or any other cause, this metatarsal arch breaks down as illustrated in Fig. 4, the support usually furnlshedv-by the arch is of course gone, the welght of the body is imposed unnaturally upon the foot in such manner that it cannot support the body without undue strain, and-the ligaments or tendons connecting the phalanges to the metatarsal arch become strained2 while the endsof the toes, instead of turmng naturally downward or lying flat are .turned slightly upward. The result of this condition is that the person is unable to exert the pull or leverage by means of the toes which is normally so exerted, and walking as well as standing, therefore becomes fatiguing and laborious.

It has sometimes been attempted to correct this abnormal condition of the bones forming the metatarsal arch and the consequent abnormal position of the toes by inserting within the shoe material for building" up a supporting section forthe arch, but such measures have been only partially successful. In any event itv is4 merely an attempt to cure the abnormal condition after it has once materialized. My invention is calculated to be used in a sole under ordinary conditions while the foot is in its normal position and thus. make it practically impossible for the arch to drop down in the manner described.

Referring to Fig. 3, my novel shoe ma)l1 comprise the usual outer sole 2, welt 3, filler 4, and insole 5. The filler commonly employed is preferably 'of somewhat plastic material which stiffens gradually and. fills up the space between the two soles and the welt and prevents squ'eaking of the shoe as for instance, the filler descried 1n United States Letters Patent No. 832,002 issued September 25, 1906 to Andrew Thoma, which I have -found to answer my purpose very satisfactorily.

Iny the ordinary recess of shoe making after the filler has een put on the insole,

soV

I nd it convenient to place near the top of l the filler or within the same an arch supporting member 6 which may be of any con venient outline, but preferably curvilinear, and convex in vertical cross-section, Fig. 3, made of any suitable .material such as rubber compound, paper, paper board, leather, or .l

lleather board properly stiifened, or even 'some soft metal suliciently rigid to give the support to the foot .when it 1s necessaxy 1 liattene out. This memberis substantially the precise embodiment illustrated and de of the size to provide desired support'for the foot that the particular shoe is designed generally to fit.

Preferably however y the arch supporting member 6 is vembedde in some material as al filler which will permit the support toyield somewhatk laterally if the ycontour of the foot to be supported requires it, until" it reaches the proper position thatis required for that particular foot in case of course, it fails to do so as originally posif tioned.

The filler is generally more or less sticky,

and therefore usually the outer convex surface or wall of the arch supporting member readily adheres suiciently to the ller to preliminarily anchor-the member which, however, -becomes permanently anchored in time by the hardening of the filler about it. In case the filler used should not be sufliciently adhesive, of|` course an additional adhesive element of some suit'- able vkind may be used.

After the shoe has been worn a short time the warmth of the foot softens the liller,

scribed herein and I claim: 1. The combination with a shoe having an outer sole and an inner sole, of a plastic filler between the soles, a movably attached disc nlike arch supportin member on thev filler, T and adapted, un er pressure and warmth of the foot, to. position itself at a point where the lateral pressure is subtantially equalized.

2. The combination with a shoe having inner andcouter soles, of a yielding filler between the soles, and an arch supporting member preliminar-ily anchored in the ller and adapted upon softening of the filler and under foot pressure to adjust itself to permanent anchorage.

' 3. The combination with a shoe. having inner and outer soles, of a yielding filler between them, an arch supporter adhesively s ,mounted on the filler and adapted under pressure of the foot to move on said filler.

4. The combination with a shoe having inner and outer soles, of a yielding filler,

and an -arch supporter floated thereon movable underk the influence of heat and foot pressure. v

i 5. A shoe comprising an outer so1e,a filler, I

for the sole of the foot and means for retaining said member on the foot, of separate means adapted to provide a localized elevation of said sole supporting member, for- Y ward of the shank, said elevation means being adhesively held lto the sole supporting member while responsive as a iumtunder the pressure and action of the foot and thereby causedy to register itself laterally with an arch of the foot.'

- 8. The ,combination with a shoe having a sole and an insole,`of a convex metatarsal arch supporting member disposed between the sole and the insole, a layer of heat responsive iller holding the arch-supporting member to the sole, said member; being free to cooperate withthe foot to work into ition for'registring with-said arch o the,

foot.

9. The combination .with a shoe having a sole and an insole, of an arch supporting .member movably floated between the sole and the insole forward of the shank, at

least a portion ofthe upper face of said y A member having a convex formation and being adapted to elevate the tion of the insole. n

10. `The combination with va shoe having asole, an insole and a plastic filler between the sole and the insole, lof a convex memberarranged -between the lsolle and the'insole yand movably carried on ythe filler, said member being constructed and arran ed'to coo erate with the movements an pressure o the foot to work into registering position for su porting. the arch of the foot.

11. shoe having the outer sole 2, inner sole 5, and means for raising the inner sole at a point beneath the metatarsal foot arch comprising the filler 4 between the soles and the arch supporting member 6 floated on the filler 4, and movable vunder the influence of heat and foot metatarsal arc v 12. A shoe having an outer and an inner sole,`a laterally movable fillerKbetween them, and an arch supporting member/ movably carried by said llerpand constructed and overlying porplressure to a point beneath thearranged to. position itself 'mnder the inunder the influence of foot pressure and luence of foot pressure` toraise the inner warmth from the foot to position itself ysole beneath the metatarsal arch. laterally beneath an elevated portion of the l0 13. A shoe having -an outer and an inner 'sole of the foot. y 5 sole, a paste like filler between them, and an In testimony whereof, .I have signed my arch supporting member adhesively con` name'to'this specification.

nected' to the filler and movable thereon WILLIAM H. COOKE. 

